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The Hefrizian Principalities
'The Hefrizian Principalities' The south edge of the continent is occupied by a land known as the Hefrizian Principalities. The Principalities stretch along most of the southern coastline, and include the world's largest archipelago, in the Quicksilver Ocean to the south. However, these islands jut far up from the water, and so have no real coast to speak of. The Hefrizian Principalities (Hefriz for short) are best known for the Quicksilver R oad - a marvel of engineering and magic. The Quicksilver Road is a series of bridges that connects each of the islands to its neighbors, and the islands closest to the coastline are connected to the mainland. However, to call these structures 'bridges' would do them a disservice. Each of them is hundreds upon hundreds of feet off the ground (save for those that connect to the continent) and several hundred feet wide. The supports are far enough apart that seafaring vessels of any size can pass underneath them - and do, since the Hefrizian docks are located near the supports, where supplies and people are hauled up and down via pulleys, cranes, etc. The Road itself was built during the time of the Old Kingdoms, but it is the modern Hefrezians that turned each of the bridges into something of a freestanding city. In the case of the longest bridge, it is entirely possible for a person to live their entire life without setting foot on land or sea. Each bridge features two to four main roads as well as back alleys, buildings, merchant tents, and decoration of all kinds. Architecture tends toward flowing and open structures. The Hefrizian Principalities make most of their money through trade, boasting the most comprehensive market and the largest and best-equipped docking facilities in the world. The people native to the region tend to be extremely dark-skinned, and their native language is a curious one known to people in the north as Hefrit and to the Hefrizians themselves as Quandalu. Most Hefrizians found outside of the Principalities are traders - with many travelling a well established trade route that begins in Hefriz and ends at Bastion. Of course, many traders from other locations make a point of stopping in at a Hefrizian dock at least once a year, just to examine the wares and merchandise available, and the area is a fairly popular vacation spot for the wealthy. Officially, Hefriz does not have a proper government, marking the Principalities as a technical anarchy - but there are agreed upon and sensible rules, designed to facilitate trade and daily life with a minimum amount of disruption. Should these rules be violated, the offending party is generally fined, with the money going to the wronged party and any groups that helped sort the problem out. More serious offenses (the largest of which is piracy) generally result in angry mobs tossing the offenders off of one of the bridges, a process referred to colloquially as 'The Quicksilver Drop' or just 'silver dipping.' In terms of national defense, the Principalities are boosting the economy of virtually every nation in the world, so it has been declared a no-fire, no-blockade zone. Naval ships can visit, but do so under the same rules as free traders. Hefriz advertises itself as a free port. In reality, everything has a price, and you can expect to pay quite a bit to travel through the area on your own, as the cost of living is rather high. A trader or other entity seeking to dock a ship there can expect to pay a docking fee, security deposit, security fee, cargo handling fee, and possibly other expenses - but a true entrepreneur can make many times that amout of money back in a single week in Hefriz, assuming that he or she is skilled at finding and seizing opportunities.